Auditors say nearly $62,000 missing from agency

A state audit report says nearly $62,000 is missing from deposits for the Wayne-Ringgold-Decatur County Solid Waste Management Commission.

The report issued Thursday says a special investigation requested by the commission showed that money from landfill fees wasn't property deposited. The report says the undeposited collections were identified within a month of the hiring of an office manager in 2014, and no discrepancies were identified after the woman resigned in June 2018.

A news release from the state auditor's office says the woman, Jennifer Nickell, told the Ringgold County auditor and a commission member that she'd taken money from the landfill office because she was experiencing financial difficulties.

Associated Press attempts to reach Nickell were unsuccessful. Court records don't list any criminal charges in connection with the report.